CPOCF Training
CPOCF Training Program
The Chief Probation Officers of California Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. CPOCF supports and conducts research, provides educational and training activities relative to the development of the probation industry.
For more information regarding upcoming trainings, please click on Training Calendar.
Live Webinar: Emotional Intelligence
Virtual Training
Numerous research suggests emotional intelligence (EQ) is a factor in predicting job performance. This course will assist participants in assessing their own emotional intelligence while learning to mitigate the impact of stress while improving interpersonal communication in both their professional and personal lives. Attendees will learn seven traits of an emotional intelligence characteristics to help them react diligently to physical and psychological reactions of others. This course is intended for probation staff at all levels.
Instructor: Dr. Mel Campbell
August 6, 2026
Cost: $100
4 STC Hours – Certification #: 06877940
Virtual Platform: Zoom
Registration link: https://cvent.me/1oYrg9
Calculating Custody Credits – Live Webinar
This course offers detailed instruction on awarding actual time and conduct credits in criminal cases. The class reviews conduct credit limitations, awarding of credits with concurrent and consecutive sentencing, and the rules of attributability when credit is claimed in more than one case. The class also reviews sentencing strategies to maximize the jurisdictional time over the defendant by use of the credit rules. The class is presented with a combination of lecture, PowerPoint, hypothetical case problems, and written text materials.
Includes access to instructor’s virtual office hours a few weeks after the conclusion of the live webinar for detailed Q&A.
Instructor: Judge J. Richard Couzens, Retd.
NOTE: At this time, this webinar class is limited to probation staff ONLY.
Cost: $150
Platform: Zoom
STC Credits: 6 hours (#03998873)
Webcams are required.
Registration link: https://cvent.me/DyQneG
Managers Leadership Academy – San Bernardino Spring 2027
In-Person
The 80-hour intensive training course is designed to prepare current probation managers for executive positions. The course blends practical skill building, individualized leadership development, and a focus on ethical, data-driven decision-making to cultivate California’s future probation leadership. The course is comprised of two weeks of classroom training, an intersession practicum assignment, self-paced learning modules, peer study groups, and a 360-leadership assessment.
Supervisor Leadership Academy – Sacramento Fall 2026
In-Person
The 60-hour intensive training Supervisors Leadership Academy (SLA) course is designed to prepare first line Probation Department supervisors for their new role as change leaders. Leadership can be defined as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Whether this is your definition or not, being an effective leader is key for any supervisor. This SLA program is designed to take participants to the next level as a leader in their department. Topics that will be covered in Week One include Real Colors temperament tool, leadership roles, organizational culture, learning organization, Evidence-Based Practices (EBP), Leading and Managing Change, understanding cycle of conflict, and workforce diversity. Topics covered in Week Two include workforce diversity, conflict management, performance measures, data-decision making, reward & recognition, and coaching and mentoring.
Location: Sacramento, CA (training location address will be provided upon completion of registration)
Week One: September 21-25 , 2026
Monday | 10:00am to 5:00pm
Tuesday – Thursday | 8:00am to 5:00pm
Friday | 8:00am to 12:00pm
Week Two: October 26-29, 2026
Monday | 10:00am to 5:00pm
Tuesday – Wednesday | 8:00am to 5:00pm
Thursday | 8:00am to 2:00pm
STC Certification: 04447812 (60 Hours)
Cost: $1500
Endorsement and essay: SLA Endorsement & Essay
Registration link: https://cvent.me/Py7GEL
Foster Care Training: Child and Family Team Meetings: Facilitation Training – Sacramento County
In-Person
This three-day training provides participants with the basic knowledge and skills to facilitate a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting. Utilizing the Integrated Core Practice Model (ICPM) as the foundational guide for CFT meeting facilitators, trainees will learn: 1) key elements of team meetings for safety and case planning 2) procedural basics of team meeting facilitation 3) the role and skills needed to be an effective CFT facilitator 4) structured problem-solving and solution-focused dialogue within team meetings.
Clone of Juvenile Report Writing for Probation
Virtual
This 12-hour, two-day course is designed to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the role and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers, with a focus on the essential skills needed to write accurate, clear, and effective reports. Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn about various types of juvenile probation reports.
Foster Care Training: Navigating Mental Health Services for Youth on Probation
Virtual
This course will orient attendees to the essential landscape of the state’s Mental Health delivery system, including the Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS), California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) and other services to help support Probation-involved youth in foster care. Topics will include but not limited to understanding the impacts of trauma, key terms of mental health, and the role of the probation in treatment and case management.
Course Schedule: May 11-12, 2027
Extended Foster Care – A Comprehensive Overview For Probation
In-Person
This course will explore all aspects of Extended Foster Care (EFC) for probation supervised youth, including but not limited to governing federal and state laws, court and legal requirements, case management techniques and best practices to better serve non-minor dependents (NMDs). Resources, including housing options, will be discussed for youth in and exiting extended foster care. This course will incorporate various learning styles that promote participant engagement.
Foster Care Training: Quality Matters – Enhancing Caseworker Visits for Foster Care Youth to Succeed -Virtual
April 20, 2027
Quality engagement is essential when visiting youth in out-of-home care as this crucial component assist with ensuring positive outcomes for youth in foster care. Since the federal passage of the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006, the state of California has upgraded the performance standards for caseworker visits to be in accordance with federal guidelines that includes frequency, location, and quality of caseworker visits.
Project Management in Probation – Virtual
This three-day virtual course will focus on the concepts of Project Management to include an in-depth review of strategies designed to implement projects effectively. The training will be based on a combination of discussion, lecture, and group exercises. Topics covered in the training include identifying characteristics of a successful project manager, developing a project charter, reviewing the nine knowledge areas of Project Management, and the communication plan used to ensure that stakeholders are aware of the nature of the project. Participants will be required to complete a Project Charter and Stakeholder Analysis and present the information to the group. This highly interactive course is designed for any staff who handles project management activities in their role, and/or would like to further expand their knowledge to be effective in project teams.
Target Audience: Probation at all levels who currently undertake various projects.
Cost: $600
Date: April 13-15, 2027
Times: 9:00am to 4:00pm
STC Credits: 18 Hours (01073622)
Register here: https://cvent.me/aDkKZD
Foster Care Training: Concurrent Planning -Virtual
March 18, 2027
This 6.0-hour course “The Pathway to Effective Concurrent Planning” provides a thorough review of concurrent planning practices for probation officers working with foster youth in California. The training is delivered in four main segments: What is Concurrent Planning, Legal Mandates, Activities Involved in Implementing a Concurrent Plan and Documentation. Additionally, participants will be provided opportunities to work together in multiple breakout sessions to discuss promising practices in use in other counties.
California Probation Writing Workshop – Sacramento Winter 2027
Hybrid
The California Probation Writing Academy is a 21-hour course designed to help attendees enhance their writing skills by using appropriate writing mechanics and techniques, as well as providing practical experience in writing reports and case notes. The course is structured to include lectures, group discussions, and individual and group exercises.
The first day of the class is virtual and will include a review of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and documentation. Days two and three will be in-person and will begin with a discussion on emotional bias in reports and proofreading, followed by a review of case notes and reports commonly submitted in Probation Departments (i.e., Memos, Progress Reports, Incident Reports, and evaluations for sentencing reports). At the conclusion of the Academy, participants will understand the focus and importance of each report reviewed and will gain practical experience in writing reports and public speaking by presenting their written work to the class
Target Audience: Probation at all levels who currently undertake various forms of writing throughout their workday.
Cost: $450
Date: Virtual February 9, 2027 | 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
In-person February 17-18, 2027 | 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
STC Credits: 21Hours (05612039)
Register here: https://cvent.me/MyvkWk
Reviewing Reports in Probation: Techniques and Considerations
Virtual
Reviewing Reports in Probation: Techniques and Considerations is a nine (9) hour course, facilitated over two days. The structure of the course includes lectures, group discussions, individual and group exercises. The course is designed for those who approve reports (and other documents) in Probation and focuses on enhancing writing skills by utilizing appropriate writing mechanics and techniques. Participants will also gain practical experience in reviewing documents and providing and receiving feedback. The course is not designed to teach participants how to write. Instead, the course is designed to provide information and techniques to assist with reviewing reports and stresses the importance of providing constructive feedback.
The first day of the course will include a review of general writing techniques (grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure), content, style, proofreading, and a review of pertinent information to include in sentencing reports. Topics such as vicarious trauma, burnout, report reviewing fatigue and perception will be discussed. Day two will consist of the practical application. Participants will identify the pertinent information to include in a Pre-Sentence and Social Study report and will complete a training activity based on reviewing a document and providing and receiving feedback. At the conclusion of the course, participants will gain a better understanding of the mechanics utilized in writing, the focus and importance of providing helpful feedback, and how content and style of the reviewer and the author impact written work.
Cost: $250
Date: February 2 & 3, 2027
Times: Tuesday, February 2nd | 9:00am – 4:00pm
Wednesday, February 3rd | 9:00am – Noon
STC Credits: 9 Hours (00501475)
Register here: https://cvent.me/EyO2V9
Foster Care Training: Child and Family Team Meetings: Facilitation Training – Sacramento County
This 3-day in-person training provides participants with the basic knowledge and skills to facilitate a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting. Utilizing the Integrated Core Practice Model (ICPM) as the foundational guide for CFT meeting facilitators, trainees will learn: 1) key elements of team meetings for safety and case planning 2) procedural basics of team meeting facilitation 3) the role and skills needed to be an effective CFT facilitator 4) structured problem-solving and solution-focused dialogue within team meetings.
Juvenile Court Report Writing for Probation
Virtual
This 12-hour, two-day course is designed to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the role and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers, with a focus on the essential skills needed to write accurate, clear, and effective reports. Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn about various types of juvenile probation reports. The course will explore critical elements of preparing a juvenile dispositional report, including gathering information from multiple sources, conducting interviews, incorporating assessments, and understanding the background and needs of the youth. Interactive group activities and writing exercises will allow participants to practice applying these skills in order to prepare them to create thorough, professional reports that balance accountability with support.
Cost: $300
Date: January 26-27, 2027
Times: 9:00am to 4:00pm
STC Credits: 12 Hours (03334382)
Register here: https://cvent.me/RlkAYv
Foster Care Training: Identifying Family Connections and Building Support Networks for Youth- Virtual Winter 2027
January 19, 2027
In 2017, Continuum of Care Reform brought together a series of existing and new reforms to California’s child welfare services program, which was designed out of an understanding that children who must live apart from their biological parents do best when they are cared for in committed nurturing family homes. This reform along with other initiatives, increased the need for California’s juvenile probation departments to find ways to meaningfully engage immediate and extended family members in helping youth to succeed on probation.
California Probation Writing Workshop – Sacramento Fall 2026
Hybrid
The California Probation Writing Academy is a 21-hour course designed to help attendees enhance their writing skills by using appropriate writing mechanics and techniques, as well as providing practical experience in writing reports and case notes. The course is structured to include lectures, group discussions, and individual and group exercises.
The first day of the class is virtual and will include a review of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and documentation. Days two and three will be in-person and will begin with a discussion on emotional bias in reports and proofreading, followed by a review of case notes and reports commonly submitted in Probation Departments (i.e., Memos, Progress Reports, Incident Reports, and evaluations for sentencing reports). At the conclusion of the Academy, participants will understand the focus and importance of each report reviewed and will gain practical experience in writing reports and public speaking by presenting their written work to the class
Target Audience: Probation at all levels who currently undertake various forms of writing throughout their workday.
Cost: $450
Date: Virtual November 10, 2026 | 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
In-person November 17-18, 2026 | 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
STC Credits: 21Hours (05612039)
Register here: https://cvent.me/rYPOd1
Foster Care Training: Quality Matters – Enhancing Caseworker Visits for Foster Care Youth to Succeed -Virtual
October 27, 2026
Quality engagement is essential when visiting youth in out-of-home care as this crucial component assist with ensuring positive outcomes for youth in foster care. Since the federal passage of the Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006, the state of California has upgraded the performance standards for caseworker visits to be in accordance with federal guidelines that includes frequency, location, and quality of caseworker visits.
Juvenile Court Report Writing for Probation
This 12-hour, two-day course is designed to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the role and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers, with a focus on the essential skills needed to write accurate, clear, and effective reports. Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn about various types of juvenile probation reports. The course will explore critical elements of preparing a juvenile dispositional report, including gathering information from multiple sources, conducting interviews, incorporating assessments, and understanding the background and needs of the youth. Interactive group activities and writing exercises will allow participants to practice applying these skills in order to prepare them to create thorough, professional reports that balance accountability with support.
Cost: $300
Date: October 20-21, 2026
Times: 9:00am to 4:00pm
STC Credits: 12 Hours (#03334382)
Register here: https://cvent.me/ZD9xmn
Foster Care Training: Concurrent Planning -Virtual
October 1, 2026
This 6.0-hour course “The Pathway to Effective Concurrent Planning” provides a thorough review of concurrent planning practices for probation officers working with foster youth in California. The training is delivered in four main segments: What is Concurrent Planning, Legal Mandates, Activities Involved in Implementing a Concurrent Plan and Documentation. Additionally, participants will be provided opportunities to work together in multiple breakout sessions to discuss promising practices in use in other counties.
